Bistro Dungeness Crab Stacks

Living on the west coast, we love our seafood and especially Dungeness crab. Crabbing season can be year around depending on whether you’re in California, Oregon or Washington with winter being prime time for the Pacific Northwest. Yet, the price of crab (especially fresh crab meat out of the shell) and the temperamental season and rules around crabbing mean Dungeness crab is not always available at Christmas. We like to have some kind of seafood around Christmas and in past years have had homemade clam chowder in sourdough bowls for Christmas Eve. Since 2020 is one for the books, I figured it called for splurging on crab! We are lucky to have Gemini Fish Market near us. They have an amazing selection of fresh seafood. I sent my hubby to pick up a half pound of fresh crab meat from Gemini’s to make Bistro Dungeness Crab Stacks for our Christmas Day menu.

These impressive little salad stacks are even more perfect because they are from a northwest icon, Nordstrom. The department store café has published three cookbooks, two of which I bought when I first moved to the area. I’m betting that if you’re a Nordstrom shopper, you’ve dined at one of their cafés and will agree that everything they make is delicious. The recipe for Bistro Crab Stack comes from the Nordstrom Flavors cookbook published in 2008 by Chronicle Books. These impressive colorful stacks let crab be the star of your meal without breaking the bank.

Perfect served as an appetizer or salad, the mixture tastes delicious. But who am I kidding, they are really all about the presentation! The instructions say to have your hardware store cut four 3-inch diameter by 4-inch-long pieces of PVC pipe for molding the stacks. I actually used four 2 ½ inch PVC unions or couplings (at least that’s what my husband called them) available at Home Depot. Also, very important: You need to serve them immediately upon molding. I’ve made the mistake of prepping in advance for dinner guests, only to have the stacks topple over when it was time to remove the PVC and serve. A sad day indeed.

Bistro Crab Stack for 4

1 ripe avocado, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup) – it’s best for the avocado to be a bit firm so it doesn’t mush up

1 small ripe tomato, also cut into ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup)

¼ (or more) English seedless cucumber, tiny seeds removed and cut into ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup)

½ ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup)

½ pound Dungeness crab meat (you can save a few dollars by picking the crab out of the shell yourself)

2 tablespoons microgreens or finely chopped fresh chives

You also need about ¾ cup Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (from the same Nordstrom Flavors cookbook)

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette 

3 Tbs seasoned rice vinegar (I used plain to omit the extra sugar)

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

1 Tbs honey

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tsp minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce (I always skip this … but use if you like the flavor. I thought it may be too strong.)

Pinch of kosher salt

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon canola oil (I used avocado oil)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a small food processor, combine the vinegar, lime juice, honey, garlic, and chipotle chile if using. Process until smooth. With the machine running, add the oil in a thin steady stream. Add cilantro until deep green with small flecks of cilantro.

Now you’re ready for the assembly!

Get four small bowls out. Place the cucumber, tomato, avocado and mango each in its own bowl. Add 1 to 1 1/2 Tbs vinaigrette to each bowl. You don’t want the mixtures to be runny, just coated. The recipe calls for 2 Tbs each, but I’ve found that too be too much. Then stand the PVC pipes on small individual serving plates. For the holidays, I bring out my red & white scribble/script (don’t remember what they were called) plates that I purchased from Crate and Barrel years ago. They look extra festive with the colors of the salad. Starting with the avocado, followed by tomato, cucumber and mango, divide evenly between PVC molds pressing gently after each addition. See the photo to make sure you follow the correct order. Fill each ingredient to the edges so the colors will show. Place the crabmeat on top with no vinaigrette. I usually use chives or even green onions, but these fancy microgreens were extra fun and dressed up the top. 

Pull the molds away slowly, being careful not to knock the stack over. Drizzle a little extra vinaigrette around each stack if desired. Serve immediately, wait for the oohs and ahhs, and take a well-deserved bow.